During the holidays, your thoughts naturally turn toward gift giving, celebrating with friends and family — and delicious holiday foods. However, dental problems can bring your celebration to a painful halt. You don’t have to give up enjoying holiday treats to avoid dental emergencies. However, taking a few precautions now can prevent dental problems during the holidays.

Maintain Regular Oral Hygiene

Maintaining a regular oral hygiene routine is essential all during the year. However, during the holidays, you often indulge in foods that you may not eat at other times of the year. Maintaining a regular oral hygiene of brushing, flossing and rinsing with an oral care rinse will help protect your teeth from the extra stress they may face during the holidays. If you wear dentures, maintain your regular routine of daily cleaning with products specially formulated for dentures — not regular toothpaste.

If you haven’t replaced your toothbrush recently, it’s a good idea to do so before the holiday season. Worn bristles can be less effective in cleaning your teeth. If you use an electric toothbrush or oral care utensil, ensure that the head is in good repair and that the mechanism is working properly.

Dental Emergencies

Getting a dental appointment can be difficult during the holidays. If you encounter a dental emergency, it may be days before you can actually see a dentist or oral surgeon. Having a dental emergency kit on hand can minimize pain and reduce the chance of further damage to your teeth while you wait to see a dentist. Many drugstores have emergency dental repair kits that you can purchase, but you can assemble your own kit inexpensively. Include oral pain relief, temporary filling material, sterile toothpicks and soft dental floss. If you wear dentures, acquire a dental repaid kit to temporarily replace broken sections of your dentures.